Not a single ticket for Top of the Hill double yellow breaches

Kevin Mullan

Not a single ticket has been issued for parking on double yellow lines over the past three years on a stretch of Waterside road notorious for contraventions.

But it’s not because traffic wardens couldn’t be bothered climbing Fountain Hill to police the section of Strabane Old Road opposite the shops at Top of the Hill, it’s because no-one has asked the redcoats up.

A spokesperson for the Department of Regional Development (DRD) told the Sentinel that its records showed that no Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) have been issued for parking contraventions on the Strabane Old Road in the last three years.

Equally, no requests for enforcement have been received.

That’s in spite of the fact that motorists are parking on double yellow lines there all the time.

There was even a car breaking the rules when the Google Street View car was in town a few years ago (see above)

DUP MLA Gary Middleton said: “I travel this road on a regular basis and I don’t believe there has ever been a time that there has been no cars parked opposite the shops on the double yellow line.

“At times the traffic is queued back due to the traffic being limited to one lane on approach to the small roundabout at the top of fountain hill.

“I’m surprised there hasn’t been an accident there but clearly the wardens are not targeting this area, unlike Spencer road where there is a different approach.”

The DRD said: “Traffic attendants are required to enforce parking restriction contraventions as specified in the Protocol, including Double yellow line contraventions. https://www.drdni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/drd/parking-enforcement-protocol-version-1.3-october-2015.pdf

“This area would be enforced on a request basis. However,as stated previously no enforcement requests have been received.”